Spotlight: Bay leaf

What makes a herb popular? In one way or another each spice, herb and flavour made its way into the cultures of the world to end up on our collective plate. In some cases a food is taken up across cultures due to its widespread availability and in others one culture and completely unknown prize a product by others. The Bay leaf is one herb discovered, prized and then blossomed from one culture to another until it became the herb it is today.

Just like many spices found in our kitchens today the Bay leaf has a history worth mentioning. Starting out as a shrub in Asia Minor, it eventually made its way into the Mediterranean by means of trade or natural dispersion. The leaf certainly had a high-standing place in society as ancient Greeks and Romans offered a crown made of Bay leaves to important members of their societies. Making our way quickly through time, the French classically used Bay leaves in their “bouquet garni” or garnished bouquet, for flavouring a number of dishes. It is also worth noting, regardless of how seemingly obvious, kitchens’ of France have had quite a large impact on the culinary creations of today.

There are two main uses for Bay leaves currently. Seasoning soups and stews is one; Bay leaves are also very common in pickling spice blends. There are a number of health claims surrounding the Bay leaf in naturopathic medicine, however if you look into most spices and herbs they are all typically quite high in vitamins and minerals, which at the end of the day is what flavours our foods.

The Bay leaf offers a very subtle flavour, but to exclude it all together would be a mistake. A meal is generally graded by taste and experience, and the bay leaf offers more in scent than flavour. Just as a backup singer adds tonality and volume to a performer the Bay leafs’ major role is to enhance the flavours around it.

Each food you eat is nothing more than the sum of its’ parts. Major players on centre stage often get their time in the spotlight, but it is often all the work that goes on behind the scenes that help those stars shine. The next time you are enjoying your favourite soup or a pickled vegetable think back to the underlying bay leaf that more than likely had a role to play in the enjoyment of your meal.